Democracy

MSN - A new philanthropic organization will roll out $10 million in grants to rural communities and small towns in 2024, funding projects aimed at enhancing civic participation.  The Trust for Civic Life, a collaborative that launched in February, funds small town entrepreneurs, cultural centers, hobby groups, and public venues to create avenues for community participation. The trust is currently reviewing its first round of nominations for funding, and a second round of nominations will open in August. Executive Director  Charlie Brown wants the Trust for Civic Life to help communities achieve their goals and build trust among the residents, creating the conditions he sees as  “the day-to-day practice of democracy.” Democracy is not just about “Donald Trump and Joe Biden in an alley fighting it out,” Brown said. It’s about routine, everyday participation in one’s community and how people build relationships across political and social divides. “The most important part of our democracy is how we come together every day with people who we may not agree with to identify a problem and work together to solve it. That is what our democracy is,” Brown told the Daily Yonder in a phone interview.